Stencil roll



C. C. HARRIS STENCIL ROLL Oct. 25, 1960 Filed Feb. 7, 1958 INVENTOR ATTORNEY atent fiice Patented Oct. 25, 1960 STENCIL ROLL Carl C. Harris, The Slencil Company, Orange, Mass.

Filed Feb. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 713,991

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-1325) This invention relates to a device for dispensing and applying liquids and particularly to a device for dispensing controlled amounts of liquids from a reservoir and applying such liquid to a surface.

In the art of dispensing and applying liquids such as stencil ink to a surface, a major problem has been that of dispensing and applying a sufficient quantity of ink to evenly coat the surface While avoiding an excess which takes an excessive time to dry and is subject to smearing. Similar problems are encountered in dispensing and applying duplicating fluid or ink solvent to sur faces where the dispensing and applying device is moved relative to the surface to which the liquid is applied.

Numerous attempts have been made to solve this problem, as is illustrated, for instance, in US. Patent No. 2,570,243 to Johnson. In that apparatus a coating device is provided with a roller having its axis relatively movable into and out of engagement with a wick, a spring being employed to press the roller to its position farthest away from the wick. With this arrangement the amount of liquid applied is dependent upon the viscosity of the liquid being dispensed, wear of the wick and roller, and distortion of the roller axis. As a result it is difiicult to achieve a uniform application of a layer of coating to a surface.

I have now found, however, that these difiiculties can be largely eliminated and the desired optimum uniform coating achieved by a device wherein a rotatable applicator is movable into and out of contact with a wick that is damp with a controlled amount of liquid, and the amount of contact which the rotatable applicator has with the wick is adjustably controllable.

, It is accordingly a primary object of the invention to provide a device for dispensing and applying controlled amounts of liquid to a surface.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for dispensing and applying liquids from a roller to a surface wherein the contact of the roller with a liquidsupplying wick may be adjustably controlled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for dispensing and applying liquids which may be held in the'hand and moved across a surface to apply controlled, uniform layers of coating to the surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for dispensing and applying liquids to a surface including an applicator-roller having a variable movement into and out .of contact with a wick that is damp with a controlled amount of liquid. A further object of the invention is to provide a device for dispensing and applying a controlled amount of liquid to a surface to achieve the desired amount of liquid on the surface.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of an embodiment of a dispensing and applying device according to the invention being manipulated by hand to dispense and apply stencil ink to a surface;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the dispensing and applying device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the dispensing and applying device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top view of the dispensing and applying device shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wick employed in the dispensing and applying device shown in Figure 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings is a device for dispensing and applying liquids such as stencil ink, to surfaces to be stenciled, and includes a reservoir 10 in the form of a glass bottle having the threads 11 formed on the external portion of its open upper end. The reservoir 10 is of cylindrical shape and of such size as to be grasped in the hand and has a dispensing and applying apparatus generally designated 12 secured to the open end thereof.

The dispensing and applying apparatus 12 includes a circular cap 14 having a depending flange 16 integral therewith having. threads 18 on the internal side thereof to. mate with threads 11 on the upper portion of reser voir 10. A liquid-tight seal is formed between the threads 18 and threads 11.

A circular reinforcing top plate 19 and a circular reinforcing bottom plate 20 are rigidly secured, as by solder, adhesive, and/or nuts and bolts, to the top and bottom sides, respectively of cap 14. A slot 21 is formed along a chord through circular plates 14, 19 and 20. A wick enclosure generally designated 22 is secured by a fluid-tight seal to the inner face of bottom plate 20 and has sides 24, bottom 26 and ends (not shown). A pinhole 30 is formed in bottom 28 of the wick enclosure and communicates with the inside of reservoir 10 to provide the path of movement for stencil ink from the reservoir to the inside of the wick enclosure. The pinhole 30 thus restrains and controls the amount of ink flowing from reservoir 10 to the inside of the wick enclosure. A wick 32, which may be formed of felt and has the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with both sides beveled at the top. This wick is positioned within wick enclosure 22 and extends upwardly through slot 21 for a distance above top plate 19. 1:

A pair of vertical standards 34 are each rigidly secured to top plate 19 and extend vertically thereabove and have holes 36 formed in the upper portions thereof.

A pivot plate 38 extends above vertical standards 34 and has depending pivot sides 40 extending downwardly therefrom. Each side 40 extends adjacent the outer surface of a vertical standard 34 and has a hole 42 registering with a hole 36 in the adjacent vertical standard. Bolts 44 extend through these registering holes and are held in position by nuts 46. Thus pivot plate 38 and pivot sides 40 pivot about bolts 44.

Holes are formed in the outer ends of each pivot side 40 and an axle bolt 48 extends through these holes and is held in place by a nut 50.

The pivot sides 40 extend beyond the end of pivot plate 38 to form a bifurcated member defining a space 51 to accommodate the liquid applicator roller generally indicated 52. This applicator is mounted for free rotation on axle bolt 48 and includes a central cylindrical metallic bushing 54, a cylindrical wooden sleeve 56 surrounding the bushing, and a porous cylindrical sleeve 58, which may be formed of foam rubber, surrounding the wooden sleeve. The bushing 54 may be secured to the wooden sleeve 56 by friction and the wooden sleeve may be secured to the porous sleeve 58 by adhesive, so that the three parts of the roller 52 rotate integrally.

The pivot arms 40 have inner flange portions 60 extending inwardly therefrom adjacent the ends of roller 52. The bushing 54 is longer than both the wooden sleeve 56 and the porous sleeve 58 and extends for a distance beyond the ends of the sleeves at 62 to maintain the sleeves centered between pivot sides 40 and free from contact with flange portions 60 'of' pivot plate 38 In order to adjustably limit the pivotalimovement of pivot plate 38and roller 52 away from wick32, a stopbolt 64 is secured to top plate 19 and extends vertically upwardly therefrom. The stop-bolt has a threaded 'upper portion "66 extending through a hole 68 formed in pivot plate38'and hasa knurled stop-nut 7% threadedly screwed thereon. The stop-nut engages the pivot plate '38 at the sides of hole 68 to adjustably limit the upward pivoting of pivot plate 38 and hence the extent of movement of roller 52 away from wick 32.

For the purpose of limiting the movement of roller 52 toward the wick 32, the pivot sides 40 are provided with a pair of outwardly extending side flanges 72 having threaded holes therein. Hand bolts 74 have threaded shanks 76 in threaded engagement with the holes in side flanges 72 and extend downwardly to terminate at ends 78 which are spaced from the top'plate 19. Each hand bolt has a knurled head 8i! at its upper end which may be turned by hand to raise or' lower the hand bolt 74 with respect to its side flange 72.

A bias coil spring 82 surrounds the shank 76 of each band bolt 74 and'is under a compressive stress, abutting at its lower end against the top plate 19 and at its upper end against a side flange '72. Thus the coil springs 82 tend to bias the roller 52 out of engagement'with wick 'A relief valve generally designated 84'is provided in the cover and includes a hole 86 extending through top plate 19, cap 14, and bottom plate 20. A collar 88 is secured to the underside of bottom plate 20 and has an inner diameter smaller than the hole 86.to form a shoulder 90 at the bottom of' the hole 76. A sealing washer 92 is secured to the head of bolt 94 which has a threaded shank 96 extending through hole 76. A button 98 is screwed onto the upper end of shank 96. A coil compression spring 100 extends from shoulder 96 upwardly to the lower face of button 98and biases the washer 92 into sealing contact with collar 88.

In the operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the reservoir 10. is filled with stencil ink and the dispenser and applicator 12 screwed tightly on the top thereof. The reservoir is then held in the hand and partially inverted to contact the roller 52' with the surface 192. to be coated 'as seen in Figure l. The device is then moved forwardly, to the left as seen in Figure 1, across the surface 102 with the roller 52 leading the reservoir 10. Pressure is applied downwardly causing the roller 52 and the pivot plate 3810 pivot about pivot bolts 44, the roller 52 moving into contact with the wick 32 as the compression springs 82 are compressed. This movement of the roller 52 into contact with thewick 32 continues until the ends 78 of hand bolts '74 contact the top plate 19.

With the reservoir 10 inverted, ink flows through pinhole 30 to wet wick 32 with a controlled amount of ink. As the dispenser is moved across the surface 102, with the roller 52 engaging wick 32 to an extent regulated by the position of hand bolts 74 in side flanges 72, the roller becomes wet with ink from the wick and applies a coating of ink to surface 102.

At the completion of the forward stroke, the hand motion of the operator is reversed and the reservoir 10 is drawn, to the right, as seen in Figure 1, on a reverse path across the surface 182. In this reverse stroke, the downward pressure of the operators hand is released so that the coil springs 82 cause the pivot plate 38 carrying roller 52 to pivot around bolts 4-4, causing roller 52 to move out of engagement with wick 32. The roller has suflicient ink thereon to apply a smooth coating to surface 102' during this reverse stroke.

Whenever inks of different viscosities, or coating liquids of other viscosities, are employed, the amount of contact which the roller 52 has with the wick 32 may be adjusted by screwing hand bolts 74 up or down in flanges 7 2 to increase or decrease the amount of contact between roller and wick.

Further, as the Wick becomes worn, or the roller becomes worn or distorted, the amount of contact between the roller and wick may be maintained uniform by this adjustment.

Adjustment of the stopenut 70 which determines the upper limit of movement of the plate. 38 and roller 52 is also used 'to control the amount of ink applied to the roller during the above-described to and fro motions. That is to sa the amount of contact between roller and wick, and the period of time during which the roller is in contact with the wick are affected by such adjustment.

A uniform dispensing and applying of a desired thickness of coating is achieved by the cooperation of the controlled supply of ink through pin-hole 39 to wick 32, the adjustable limiting of the amount of movement ofroller 52 into contact with the wick by hand bolts 74, the ad justable limiting of the amount of movement of roller 5 awayfrom the wick by stop nut 70, and the biasing of the roller 52 out of contact with the wick by springs 82.

The release valve 84 is employed in a conventional manner to relieve any partial vacuum which forms within the reservoir 10.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid and applying the liquid to a surfacecomprising a reservoir for containing liquid, an aperture formed in one end of said reservoir, a wick member positioned in said aperture, mounting means supported by said one end of said reservoir, said mounting means including means pivoted at one end adjacent said reservoir and extending outwardly at an angle away from said reservoir, a liquid applicator rotatably mounted on the other end of said pivoted means for rotation about an applicator axis, said mounting means permitting movement of said applicator axis toward and away from said wick member, and adjustablestop means adjustably fixing the limit of said movement of said applicator axis both toward and away from said wick member whereby the amount of contact of said applicator with said wick member may be varied.

2. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid and applying the liquid to a surface comprising a reservoir for containing liquid, an aperture formed in one end of said reservoir, a wick member positioned in said aperture, mounting means supported by said one end of said reservoir, said mounting means including means pivoted at one end adjacent said reservoir and extending outwardly at an angle away from said reservoir, a liquid applicator rotatably mounted on the other end of said pivoted means for rotation about an applicator axis, said mounting means permitting movement of said applicator axistoward and away from said wick member, means for supplying a controlled amount of liquid to said wick member, first adjustable stop means adjustably fixing the limit .of said movement of said applicator axis toward said wick member, and second adjustable stop means adjustably fixing thelimit of said movement of said applicator axis away from said wick member, whereby the amount of contact of said applicator with said wick member maybe varied.

3. Apparatus for, dispensing a liquid from a reservoir and applying the liquid to a surface comprising a reservoir for containing liquid, an aperture formed in one end of said reservoir, a wick member extending from within said reservoir through said aperture and extending a dis tance outside of said reservoir, mounting means supported on said one end of said reservoir, said mounting means including means pivoted at one end adjacent said reservoir and extending outwardly at an angle away from said reservoir, a liquid applicator rotatably mounted on the other end of said pivoted means for rotation about an applicator axis, said mounting means permitting movement of said applicator axis toward and away from said Wick member, first adjustable stop means for limiting said movement of said applicator axis away from said wick member, spring means normally urging said applicator axis to the position farthest from said wick member determined by said first stop means, second stop means adjustably limiting said movement of said applicator axis toward said wick member for varying the amount of contact of said applicator with said wick member.

4. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid and applying the liquid to a surface comprising a reservoir for containing liquid and having such size and shape as to be grasped in the hand, a cap closing one end of said reservoir and including a cap plate extending across said one end of said reservoir, said cap having a slot formed therein, a wick enclosure secured to the inner face of said cap on both sides and both ends of said slot, said wick enclosure having a hole formed therein communicating with the space within said reservoir, a wick member positioned in said wick enclosure and extending through said slot, a pair of spaced standards rigidly secured to outer face of said cap plate and extending outwardly therefrom, a pair of pivot sides pivotally secured to said standards and extending to a point overlying said slot, a pivot plate extending between said pivot sides and having an aperture therein, a roller applicator having its ends rotatably journaled in said pivot sides for movement into and out of engagement with said wick member, a stop bolt passing loosely through said aperture in said pivot plate and having an enlarged nut thereon on the upper end thereof beyond said pivot plate for limiting the pivotal movement of said pivot plate and pivot sides away from said cap, said stop bolt having its lower end secured to said cap, a pair of side flanges extending outwardly from each said pivot side, each said side flange having a threaded hole therein, a pair of hand bolts each extending through one of said holes in said flange and threadedly engaging said hole for adjustment with respect to said flange, the ends of said hand bolts extending toward said cap for limiting the pivotal movement of said pivot plate and pivot sides toward said cap, and a pair of coil springs each surrounding a hand bolt and pressing against said cap and against a side flange for normally urging said pivot sides away from said cap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 637,832 Rosenberg Nov. 28, 1899 2,028,084 Brown Jan. 14, 1936 2,570,243 Johnson Oct. 9, 1951 2,732,575 Faust Jan. 31, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,998 Great Britain of 1915 680,236 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1952 

